A Calm Tide
by Jumofi of the Mad Hare
Summary: In the small town of Iwatobi, fate brings five girls to the swim club and its members. The dandere, the American fresh meat, the tsundere, the explorer, and the princess. How will their year turn out? Misuzu Kasumi has always had a fear of the ocean since she was a little girl, but returning to Iwatobi means that she has to cast it aside. Will a certain swimmer be able to help?
1. Misuzu Kasumi

Chapter One:

Eleven years ago, I was anxious for the summer when Mother and Father and I planned to go to the beach together. It was my first time to visit it and I loved to imagine what it'd be like with the heat of the sun on my back and the cool water splashing on my legs. When we finally got there I jumped right out of the car. The beach was so beautiful! There was the warm, beige sand and the never-ending blue ocean that sparkled in the sun.

I went off to play with the other kids there while my parents watched from our spot on the sand. The kids' names slipped my mind, but one of them I remember was my friend Nanami who met us there with her own family. All of us made sandcastles and chased each other up and down the beach. But then they wanted to play in the water. I didn't know how to swim, and I quietly sat back and watched the others. They kept begging me to get in until I finally gave up. I figured that if I were with them, it'd be safe.

That day I learned that the ocean wasn't to be underestimated. I dared myself to swim out just a little more, and a current pushed me under. As a tiny child I couldn't fight the water no matter how much I tried. Their screams were muffled under the water as I sunk to the bottom. On the inside I cried for help, wanting to wave my arms and catch my parents attention. But I had no more strength left to fight. I could only look up at the gleam of the waves in the sunlight.

But if it weren't for him that day, I wouldn't be alive. The boy that I desperately try to remember, he saved me and disappeared out of my life in a flash. He was like a merman. He was my hero...If only I had the chance to thank him...

"Kasumi! Come down for breakfast!" my mother called from downstairs.

"U..Uh, coming!" I answered.

I looked back in my mirror for one last routine check. My uniform was buttoned, laced, and prepped for my first day at high school in this old town, Iwatobi.

"Alright, Kasumi, go get 'em! Fight-o!" I told my reflection.

I marched downstairs determined to brave the new day. Mother was in the kitchen washing dishes when I came in. She heard me and turned around.

"Oh, there you are! Your breakfast is on the table for you, Kasumi. Have a seat!"

"Thank you, Mom."

Her egg omelets were always the best fresh. I sat down and slowly ate while my stomach churned with anxiety. It seemed that school was going to start in less than a half-hour, and there were so many people here...I had to clear my thoughts if I didn't want to panic. Oh, but so much was happening today...

As I cut another piece of egg off and ate it, Mother sat next to me at the table. She looked over at me, and then to the empty seat on my other side.

"It's such a shame that Papa had to go into work early today. If only he could see you off too."

"Mhmm..But it's okay Mom. Papa has more important things to do, so I'm fine with this."

"Oh, you're just so sweet!"

I smiled back at her and finished the omelette. When my eyes darted to the clock, I nearly dropped my plate. I had five minutes to get to the train to make it on time!

"Mom, I gotta go! Love you!"

"Oh, but Kasumi-"

I had already stumbled into the hallway to the door trying to tug my socks up my legs. Mother followed me with my bento in her hands, trying to tell me that I almost forgot it. I quickly thanked her and slipped on my shoes as I ran out the door.

Luckily I had caught the train on time, and got to school with everyone else. My new homeroom teacher, Ama-sensei, waited for me in the teacher's office until I arrived. She took me upstairs to the classroom and talked to me about the class itself and how it was for me moving here so far. I did my best to answer her, but my heart kept beating at such a fast pace. Every time we took another step forward I felt myself slowly sinking down to the floor. If only someone could snap me out of this-

"Wait!"

Both my teacher and I jumped out of our skins at that sudden shout. We turned to the bottom of the stairs where another girl was crouched over catching her breath. She looked up and asked, "Are you...Ama-sensei?"

Ama-sensei then stuttered, "U-uh, yes..I am. A-are you another stu-student?"

"Yes, "the girl answered as she stooped up, "I'm Samantha Mueller. It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

_Is she..American? _Now that I looked closely, Mueller-san had a different, foreign look about her. She was much taller than me, with shiny brown hair and hazel eyes. I looked down at myself to compare; next to her I looked like a grade schooler. Darnit...

I turned away as Ama-sensei invited Mueller-san along with us to our classroom. For a moment everything was fine, but then I started hearing people chatting inside the classrooms in the hallway and my head started to spin. The thought of new faces staring directly at me, watching as I stepped up to the front of the class to introduce myself...My palms felt clammy in clenched fists, and the hall became hot and humid in my uniform coat. There was a loud pumping sound all around me, only it was my heart beating rapidly in my ears. Trying to take deep breaths was beyond helping me at this point. All the thoughts in my head were either deteriorating or jumping from wall to wall in my head. _Please, you've gotta calm down! Whatever you do, don't panic! Take a deep breath and calm yourself!_

"Misuzu-san, isn't it?" the other girl asked me.

I looked up at her, finding the two of us waiting outside for Ama-sensei to call us in. With a deep breath I cleared my head and answered, " Um..yes?"

She gently smiled at me and calmly introduced herself to me.

"I'm Samantha. You can call me Sam, if you'd like.

"So, you're a new student too? Where'd you move from?"

"Uh...Wakayama..."

Again she smiled. My heart became calm while she built more of a conversation with me. I was at ease to talk to her that I found myself smiling when she mentioned manga to me that she knew about.

While we were still talking, Ama-sensei called for us to enter the classroom. _Oh no!_

I kept my head down as I headed in first. The classroom was quiet when we came in. I could feel all of their eyes on me...I shivered at the sudden thought of them when my eyes would meet theirs. The reality of it made my heart sink as I stepped up to the front. Samantha-san didn't seem as scared of it as I was, but she was a lot stronger than I am in more ways than one.

Samantha-san turned back to the door to look for something. I watched as she peered outside from left to right, and our teacher noticed this as well.

"Um, Ms. Samantha, is there something outside?"

"Uh..."

She turned back to Ama-sensei and said, " I can't find the doorknob..."

The class erupted in confused mutters, and Ama-sensei, having been baffled, exclaimed, "Eh?!"

Samantha-san turned back to the door replying, "It's weird that-oh..."

She slid it out from behind to close it. Our classmates burst out laughing as she bowed to the teacher apologetically.

"I'm so sorry. I'm used to western-style doors that I forgot it was different at school here!"

Ama-sensei sighed in relief. It was, for the moment, as though she believed Samantha-san when she said the door happened to "vanish", but then pushed it aside to start class. She looked at me and asked if I could introduce myself. I nodded slightly, feeling my heartbeat tensify once again. As I looked up at the class, I saw a boy my age staring carelessly out the window. His short, indigo hair reminded me of that other boy, the merman...

"Ms. Misuzu?"

"I...I'm..Misuzu Kasumi. It is nice to meet you, " I found myself saying to the class.

I kept my head down as our teacher asked Samantha-san to do the same. Samantha-san showed them the same gentle smile she gave me.

"I am Samantha Mueller. It is nice to meet you all. I hope we can get along this year!"

She bowed just the same as I had after that. Our teacher then let us help ourselves to a seat while writing our names on the board. Samantha-san took no time to find one. She immediately walked towards the empty seat at the end of the third row in a graceful manner as I slowly made my way to the seat on her right.

Everyone else turned back to Ama-sensei once the introductions were over. As the class continued I noticed my name written in one corner of the board. It reminded me of how Nanami used to write...

_I wonder where Nanami is now...is she still here in Iwatobi? _

"Misuzu-san?" someone asked me.

I looked up to find Samantha-san standing next to my desk with a brown paper bag. Oh, our lunch break was already here.

"I was wondering if you'd like to eat on the roof with me."

"Th-the roof?"

"Yeah. I've always wanted to do that like in the anime."

"O-oh..."

"Hm? Haven't you been able to do that before?"

"I...I don't think I have."

She gasped out loud.

"Then we're gonna fix that. C'mon!"

Samantha-san waved her hand at me for me to get up. Out of mere confusion I followed her out of the classroom even though I felt hesitant about it. Every now and then she'd turn back and keep encouraging me to follow her, which then I saw a certain eagerness about her like an impatient child. She was nearly bouncing up and down like one, motioning me further towards her.

"Let's go! It's supposed to be beautiful weather out right now!"

"Uh..umm..."

I slowly put my hand in hers. At first I thought that she'd drag me up the stairs with super human force, but she grinned at me and gently led me up the staircase. I stared at her for what seemed to be the longest time...her hand was so soft and warm..like how a mother's hand would feel to a child.

"Oh my God, look at the view!" she exclaimed.

Up here on the roof it was warm with the sun reflecting off the bright concrete. It looked like an ordinary roof top to me, but somehow mesmerizing to Samantha-san. She spun around and said, "Isn't it wonderful, Misuzu-san?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted by someone else.

" 'Misuzu-san' ? As in, 'Misuzu Kasumi' ?"

A girl with red hair pulled into a ponytail stood up as her friend stayed on the ground with her bento open.

"Gou-san?"

"Kou! You still don't remember?"

"Oh no, I do! But..uh..you were close with Nanami, too, then?"

"Just as much as you!"

She put on a confident smile at that statement, just as she had done when we were little. Kou-san invited both of us to join her and her friend. I sat down with Kou-san as Samantha-san walked up to us hesitantly.

"Mueller-san, right? You are from America?"

"Um, yeah.."

She folded her skirt under her as she sat next to me. Kou-san and her friend scooted in towards the circle with anticipation. In my memory I could recall that Kou-san was always talking about visiting different countries, which someone from America could certainly pique her childhood interest. Kou-san then asked Samantha-san about her hometown, if she'd seen the Statue of Liberty, and what the newest film was there. Of course, Samantha-san lit up in excitement as she answered, but there was something off about her expression before she smiled. It almost seemed sad, or depressed,...I guess she was homesick deep down.

"The newest movie I've seen lately was The Host, but I didn't get to see it right away. You see, I-ouch!" she yipped.

While telling the story of her going to the movies she reached over to grab her lunch bag as two of our classmates walked past us. The tallest one was closest to her and accidentally stepped on both her hand and lunch. He immediately swooped down to see if she was alright.

" 'Dai-jou-bu-' " he started to ask.

Both of them were looking into each other's eyes when there was an abrupt pause. It was only for a moment when they stopped before Samantha-san turned her head. If it were a romantic "first glance", then it seemed like she looked away out of fear. But she was turning to her hand still sitting on top of her smooshed lunch.

"I'm fine, really, "she shyly admitted, "however..."

Something wet had seeped through the bag. I reached into my pocket for my handkerchief, but the boy had his out already.

"Oh, I-I.."

"Here. It's alright. You can take it, " he told her in a soothing voice.

She hesitantly reached out and took it. He smiled as she wiped her hand clean. I felt as though I was being too nosy by watching and tried looking away, but then soon realized I had met another's glance. The boy from the corner of the classroom looked back at me with a stoic expression on his face, and I felt like my world was about to come crashing down on me.

"Kasumi-san?" Kou-san asked.

I noticed myself staring as he had turned away. My face grew red in embarrassment, and I quickly turned to hide my shamefulness. My heart was beating excitedly again, although this time it wasn't out of anxiety.

The other boy, Tachibana Makoto, as Kou-san had explained, offered to buy Samantha-san another lunch from the cafeteria. Both of them left while his two friends leaned over the side of the building as they ate. I tried to pay attention to my friend and eat at the same time, but the mysterious boy was so close by that I felt I had to sneak another peak at him. The coincidence of him being the same boy from before was almost impossible, though, maybe likely..

As though Samantha-san's incident wasn't enough, there came another girl bounding up the stairs and towards Tachibana's friends.

"Oi! 'Shota' !" she yelled as her finger pointed at the short, blond boy.

He turned around with two school-lunch breads in each hand. After swallowing his food he then exclaimed, "Oh, that girl from class!"

"Yeah, that's right! And you're the one who took my sweet bread!"

"Huh?"

"I wanted one of those breads and you took the last two!"

"Oh..sorry..."

She grumbled to herself as she glared at him. The girl had no choice but to give up, flicking her long ponytail in frustration. Hold on...

I stood up and walked up to the girl. The closer I got, the more I realized the dip-dyed black in her blonde tail. Her voice and hair were the same, but the personality had gotten much wilder. That could only mean-

" 'Takemono...Ella' ?"

She turned to me saying, "Who's aski-"

Ella-san gasped when she saw me. She grabbed my hands and exclaimed, "Kasumi! It's so good to finally see a familiar face!"

"I know, it's been-"

"A couple years. You've gotten taller..."

I smiled even though that was an empty comment ( There's no way that I've grown in the last couple of years..)

"Um..You remember Kou-san, 'neh' ?"

She gasped again and looked over my head to our corner. Kou-san waved at her then turned to her other friend. Ella-san made her way to the others as I turned to this "shota" and the mysterious boy. I bowed, then replied, "Please forgive her. She means well, but comes off a different way."

"Ah, no problem!" the blond boy told me.

When I looked up, I caught the other boy's glance once more. My cheeks were growing red like before and my palms clammy. I quickly bowed for a second time and escaped with my life.

By the time I sat down, Samantha-san came back with melon bread and a water bottle. She smiled at Tachibana-kun, thanking him for the food. He smiled back and walked away. Suddenly she turned to Kou-san and replied, "Do you guys know him?"

"Know him? That's 'Tachibana Makoto'-kun! Everyone knows him as the 'nicest boy on the planet'. And his shoulders..."

Kou-san trailed off as her eyes peered up at the sky in wonder. She giggled to herself in a sort of odd way.

"Kou-san, are you alright?" I asked.

"Oh, don't worry about her. She...has her moments like this," her friend replied.

_Moments? Does she have an illness of some sort?_

Kou-san continued to daydream for the rest of our lunch while her friend tried to snap her out of it, and Samantha and Ella-san had conversations in English. This first day back wasn't as scary as I had imagined, but I could tell it would be an energetic year.

At the end of the day, I went up to Samantha-san and asked her if she were riding the train home.

"No, I'm sorry. I live nearby in town. Are you farther out?"

I nodded, feeling a bit left out with the other students leaving together.

"Hey, I'll walk you to the station. I've wanted to see more of the town anyway."

I smiled at her and waited for her to pack her bag. We left not too soon after that while the last of the students at Iwatobi High left. Samantha-san and I continued our conversation about manga from earlier outside to the station. I felt at ease to think about something else besides school after today, but then I turned to the front of the street and saw Tachibana-kun and his friend. The other boy from earlier seemed to be just as expressionless as ever while Tachibana-kun seemed to be talking to him. I tried not to speak as loud so that he wouldn't notice me. If he saw me again, he'd think that I was following him.

At the train station we said our goodbyes in a rush. The train was about to set off when I ran up to the door, and I thought that I wouldn't be able to make it. Just when I would've missed it I reached my hand out to try and grab something from inside, jumping off the platform as the doors were closing. I didn't see who, but someone was able to catch me and pulled me in the car in time. When my foot scraped the floor, I fell into their arms face first. The shame...the shame of this...in public!

"Are you okay?" the person asked me.

I quickly jumped back from them and bowed too many times to count.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I-I!"

My heart dropped to my stomach when I looked up. A stranger, a kind one, might have let me off at that, but fate had to bring the mysterious boy to save me from missing the train. My face...i-it touched his chest...!

I grabbed onto one of the train poles and took a step back. The boy, still expressionless, looked at me and asked again if I were alright.

"I-I-I-I-I'm al-alright. I'm-I'm fine!"

He stood back from me as if my response had scared him away. I tried to clear the trouble up by swallowing my fear.

"I mean...I'm very sorry to have touched you. Please forgive me."

" 'Ie'. Don't worry about it.."

The boy looked away from me again to look out the window. I hung onto the pole, quietly looking back and forth at him. Our conversation, however it may have been, only lasted for a brief moment, and this awkward silence between us had started to make me wonder. _Was I too abrupt or have I crossed a line of some sort? Should I say something to him? What?!_

Suddenly he turned to me and asked, "Have we met somewhere before?"

"Uh..uh..I wouldn't know. I just moved in, so..we might have seen each other..in town?"

"Yeah..."

Our conversation dropped again until we reached the second train station. Both of us tried to walk out at the same time, which almost led to me falling out after him. But the walk home was even more dreadful. I followed behind him until we reached the square where the old lady swept away dirt from the side of her house. Down the road from her was my house, but the boy continued up the stairs. I quickly gathered some of my little courage and told him, " 'Ano', thank you again. For helping me onto the train."

"No problem.

"What's your name?"

"Eh?"

"Your name?"

"M-Misuzu Kasumi...and...your name?"

"Nanase. Haruka."

I bowed to him again and replied, " 'Arigato', Nanase-kun."

"Mm..."

He slowly nodded, then walked away. Once he was gone, I turned the corner and ran down the road. All of my energy had burst inside me that I couldn't help this feeling of...what was this? Excitement? Fear? Embarrassment? How could I even start to describe this...?

When I came home, Mother waited for me at the door. But I couldn't stop myself there. I ran right past her and up the stairs as she asked me how my day was. I made it to my room where I jumped up and landed onto my bed, wriggling around in the sheets and hiding my flushed cheeks in my pillow. The indescribable feeling was still twisting around in me, and I couldn't figure out why I was feeling this. It suddenly came to me when I heard his name. Nanase Haruka...why was it so familiar..?

That night I calmed down and sat at the kitchen table with Mother. I had to explain myself to her that everything was alright and that I had a good day at school. She was content with that answer but still asked me if I were feeling fine.

"Mom, I'm fine. Just tired..."

"Alright then, but if you're tired, I suggest you hurry and finish your food. Can't waste all of your energy on just one day now."

"Okay, Mom."

Later when I was in bed reading a light novel, I looked out my window and stared at the stars. The harbor waters nearby glimmered from the moon's reflection, seeming to call out to me like it had these past few nights. Every night it reminded me about that day almost as if it wanted me to suffer that painful memory. Until today I was sure it would drive me mad. That is...but then I saw his face in school. Those clear blue eyes that constantly gleamed like the ocean. To me he was like the ocean itself: he was terrifying, stoic, and closed-off, but somehow he seemed like a very caring person.

"Who is he? Can he really be that boy?"


	2. A New Club

Chapter Two:

"Good morning, Misuzu-san."

I turned around to the person greeting me as I walked down 'Takesou' mesmerized by the view of the port and the look-out point on the hill. Tachibana-kun and Nanase-kun walked alongside with me, Nanase-kun on the other side of his friend.

" 'O-Ohayo gozai-ma-su' ," I said.

Tachibana-kun smiled at me. Nanase-kun stared at the road ahead.

"So, Misuzu-san, how has it been for you moving in?"

"I-It's alright. Nothing is out of sorts since we started school."

"Ah, that's good.

"I heard that you have lived here before. Is that true?"

"Ah, 'mm'. Only until my father had business in another town...some years ago."

"Oh, then we might have seen each other before!"

"We might have, yes!"

Then Nanase-kun looked at me. I froze on the spot at the same time that Tachibana-kun asked me where I went to school.

"I-I th-think it was Iwatobi Elemen-mentary or somewhere close by..?"

"Oh. Then you might have gone to the swim school, no?"

My mind flicked back to an image of a pool. I didn't have any issues with one, but the thought of swimming wasn't helping my situation. My palms felt clammy once again and my mouth ran dry. I looked down.

"Misuzu-san?"

"I..I don't think so," I said, my eyes diverted from them, "no."

On a whim I came up with an excuse to leave, and I told them, "sorry, I think there was something at school I have to finish. I'll see you two in class, 'neh'?"

"Ah! Oh, Mi-"

But I had already darted down the street and around a few corners before he could finish his sentence. I squeezed my eyes shut and cursed in my head, Darn it, Kasumi! Why can't you buck up for once! What's wrong with you?!

I took a deep breath, realizing it was hopeless to fight myself in the early morning, and quietly walked down the sidewalk. At the gate, I heard someone call out my name from behind. Mueller-san waved at me and crossed the street as I turned around.

"Mu-Mueller-san!"

She walked up to me with a perfect smile, carrying herself to beautifully that she seemed to glide. Mueller-san was so pretty...

"Misuzu-san, is somethin' wrong?"

"No, I'm just so pitiful compared to you is all," I whimpered.

"Huh? 'Pitiful'? Did someone make fun of of? Did someone touch you on the train?"

"Eh?!"

Everyone else on the sidewalk was startled by the two of us. They were staring...

"Oh! C'mon! Misuzu-san! Let's talk in private!"

She took my hand and rushed us to the school gates and behind one of the sakura trees. Mueller-san looked around, sighed, and then asked again if there was something wrong. I would've answered if Ella-san hadn't caught us.

"Yo! Wazz-up!" she teased.

"Misuzu-san may have been touched on the train!" Mueller-san said in English.

"Wait, like bump 'touched' or illegally 'touched'?"

"Illegal."

Ella-chan gasped.

"Misuzu-chan! Who touched you?!"

"N-"

"It's okay, hon'," Mueller-san encouraged, "You can tell us."

"No one-"

"We'll have to call the police, y'know," Ella-chan said.

"Oh, phooey! If this pervert is out there now, then we can get 'em ourselves!"

"Nah, who knows who this person is. If it were some wimp, then I say 'hell, yeah let's get 'em'!"

" 'Ano'.."

"What if they have a weapon on 'em?"

"You're talkin' to a girl who's lived in the US! Where I'm from I've seen my daddy use different guns while deer huntin' so many times that I'd know how to take apart that gun in less than ten seconds!"

"Ano!" I shouted.

Both of them looked to me, but then so did anyone else outside.

"No one touched me. I never even got onto the train this morning...I'm sorry if there was some sort of misunderstanding.."

Mueller-san sighed out of relief and replied, "Oh, thank the Lord! You had me worried!"

"Misuzu-chan, don't scare us like that!"

The bell ran before any of us could react. Ella-chan ran off in a hurry with her last word to us, "I can't be late again!", and Mueller-san grabbed my hand and dashed after her. We made it up the stairs until I tripped and fell on my face. I could have easily gotten up but Mueller-san picked me up off my feet and over her shoulder.

"Hold on, I'mma get us there, " she told me.

" 'M-M-M-Ma-Ma-Mate-' "

"I ain't quittin' on ya!"

It was too late. She bounded up the steps and down our hall without listening to me. I bit my lip as I imagined Amakata-sensei's expression and the laughter coming from our class. The humiliation...

She chose the door at the end of the classroom once we made it up the stairs. First came the sound of the door opening, then shutting, and I suddenly found myself sitting in my chair. Mueller-san sat in her chair, and I turned to her with a baffled look on my face. When she looked at me through the corner of her eye, she winked, smiling ever-so-slightly. From that I took it as a sign saying, No one caught us, so let's pretend we got in on time! All I did was nod my head, but shivered at the thought of how an American girl could be so strong, and then compared that to what an American man must be like. That didn't help with my studies, but it did give me some confidence to try harder in gym from that point on...

While we were in our morning classes, Mueller-san was the most talented and smartest of the class. She seemed to fly right through the calculus questions and blew away our gym teachers. Amakata-sensei knew better than to ask her to read a loud an English text from our books, but Mueller-san offered to help every now and then. Not everyone was anticipating that, considering that it wasn't socially accepting to give advice to our teacher during class. I knew, personally, that she was trying her best, but from the whispers from our classmates, there were others who probably thought that she was trying too hard, or that she was trying to show off. Thankfully, our teacher understood her intentions. Other than that, the rest not talking about Mueller-san seemed to like her. And I felt that I had the same admiration as the rest of them.

"So, what's the 4-1-1 from last night, Matsuoka-san?" Mueller-san asked at lunch.

Everyone from yesterday was sitting together again, the boys in the far corner from us. It felt nice like this even though I felt eyes burning into the back of my head. I'd turn around from time to time to catch Nanase-kun looking this way. He must've been thinking about what I said this morning. Which, of course, could sound fishy to someone else with all of my babbling and running away on the conversation. Why am I so self-conscious of myself when I'm near boys?

"Eh? W-What do you mean?"

"Oh, c'mon now. I can tell something is bugging you by that look on your face. Did something happen?"

Kou-san sighed and confessed, "I..I sent a text to my brother to see if he had met with his friends Hazuki-kun, Tachibana-kun, and Nanase-kun at the old swim school. But he hasn't responded back.."

"Wait! You mean to tell me that your brother was the red-head from the other night?!"

"Eh? You've seen 'Onii-san'?"

"Ah, well..yeah.."

As Mueller-san had described it, she met the other boys last night at the old swim school building under the impression that there were vandalizers up to no good. But she found them by the pool, as she put it, "rippin' off their clothes like it was too dang hot for the weather." She shook her head and replied, "I don't know what goes on in people's' head nowadays.."

"Oh, y'know what the darndest thing was? I shouted out loud to myself as they were gettin' naked! I mean, I didn't know what was going on until they were stripped down in their swim trunks!"

"What?! Did they get to swim?"

Mueller-san stopped for a second and looked at Kou-san with an expression implying, Oh, that's a bit of a shock! She mumbled, "Well, wasn't expectin' that from ya'.."

"Uh-no. There wasn't any water in the pool, so they left. That's when I came into the scene. And 'dadgum', did all of us get into trouble!"

"Eh?!" I exclaimed, "You too, Mueller-san?!"

"Sure did! And I was the one who tried shooin' them off!"

I couldn't believe that she had gotten into trouble, but she oddly seemed okay with it. If she were to be living with parents like mine I would know that it wouldn't be as comfortable to talk about. Then again, I had no idea what her home life was like...

My imagination got the best of me during the afternoon. I thought about Mueller-san sneaking into the old building, finding the boys "doing something weird", and her watching in a corner. It was punishable to sneak onto constriction sites, but stripping in front of a woman-

Nanase-kun...stripping?!

"Misuzu-san?"

"H-Hai!"

I looked up at Mueller-san as the class left. She furrowed her brow at me.

"You feeling okay?"

"U-Uh yes. I'm just tired. Do you mind if I go on ahead?"

"No, you go on.I'm just gonna talk with Matsuoka-san before leaving."

"O..Okay."

I hurried out of the classroom so she wouldn't see my flustered face. This wasn't like me to think about boys like that, and now my heart couldn't stop racing. Why was I getting upset over this? Was I sick?

Thankfully I hadn't run into Tachibana-kun and Nanase-kun as I was walking home. If I'd seen any of them I wouldn't have been able to function. To calm my rampant mind, I visited the Arasuna shrine close to my house. After slipping a dollar yen into the coin box I clapped my hands and prayed that I could focus more on my studies and not on...things like shirtless boys...Hopefully the 'okami' would be able to hear my prayer.

At home I laid in bed until dinner, working on homework ever so often and stared out of my window the rest of the time. Mother was concerned that my health was the issue but I had to deny that. I didn't feel sick, yet I was somewhat flushed in the cheeks. I wouldn't take a day off of school just because of that..so what could I do?

I was relieved to finish the homework from earlier so I read my novel with my favorite pillow at my head. Everything seemed pleasant with just my book and I, up until I finished it. My clock read 8 o'clock. I still had more time.

Should I open up that box? It's the last one I have to put away, and yet I promised myself I wouldn't open it ever again...Should I? Shouldn't I?

I looked at the cover of my book and asked the main character, "What would you do, Aino-san?"

With my pillow in hand I crawled towards the unopened box next to my desk. The packing tape was already cut, but I left it unopened the first day we got here on a whim that I could put aside my junior high school hobby. My one weakness that I despised and loved about myself...

I quickly opened the flaps of the box and looked right at the contents...my old manga collection. All of them staring up at me with flashy colors and large titles. I dared myself to lean over and pick one up. But when I did, I couldn't help but open it. Then read it. Then finish it. And grab another.

"Omigosh I'm still not over this! But shounen is my favorite," I argued with myself.

"Agh! Where can I hide these?!"

"Honey, is everything alright in there?" my mother asked from the other side of the door.

"Ah-uh-uh, n-nothing! Just putting away some stuff!"

I heard her footsteps fade away as she left, and so I turned back to the box. The manga definitely needed to go...but I looked at my book and bit my lip. It would be hard to get rid of them just like that, yet I couldn't keep them. My goal was to make a new image of myself and come out of my shell to make friends. And nowadays it wasn't cool to read manga. People would call me a 'chuunibyou'...and being picked on wasn't something I wanted again in my new high school.

Later on that night I gave up and finally went to sleep. The box was still in the corner teasing me until I had to go to school the next morning. I frowned at it, arranging to ask Mueller-san if she wanted them at lunchtime. I knew I could trust her with them, and she wouldn't take it any other way than someone else. She told me that was interested in them, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to mention them to her...

Surprisingly I hadn't run into the two boys that morning, and I made it to school on time. Ever since they mentioned to me some time ago that walking instead of taking the train was easier and faster, I felt stupid for doing that on the first day...yet it puzzled me how 'Oca-san' could have advised me to take the train.

"Eh? A swim club?" I asked Hazuki-kun.

At lunch, both boys and girls got together for something that Hazuki-kun had announced. All of us got closer to see him pull out a club application form from his bag.

"Uh-huh! Then if we submit this form, they'll definitely let us start one!"

"It's no promise that they'd approve, Nagisa," Tachibana-kun reassured him.

"Well, yeah, but..we have enough members! Mako-chan, you can be the captain!"

"Shouldn't it be Haru? He's the fastest swimmer."

"It isn't about speed. Different people are better at different things."

"Nanase-kun as the captain, huh?" Mueller-san spoke up.

"Well...who knows, "replied Ella-chan.

Every one of us tried to imagine Nanase-kun as the captain. He'd be a take-action man that'd have to plan things even at the last minute, determined-

"I don't think so."

"Nope."

"That isn't Nanase-kun, no."

"That makes Mako-chan as captain then. And Haru-chan as vice!"

"Hey, don't just volunteer me."

The boys were discussing Nanase-kun as vice captain when Mueller-san and Ella-chan went off into their own conversation. I looked over at them, only hearing, "So what about..." and, "Do you think she'll be okay with that?"

"Who is to be okay with something?" I said.

"Oh, Misuzu-san!"

"Hey, listen to this," Ella-chan told me with a wave of her hand, "if they're startin' a club, then we want to make a girl's team too."

"Eh? Is that even allowed?"

"It should be. all we need to do is assign schedules of who's using the pool when. And who uses which locker rooms first. After that there shouldn't be any problems."

"Yeah, plus, if we join a club, it'll look nice on our school forms, and we'll get recognized."

"So, Misuzu-san, do you want to sign up for the swim club with us?"

Both of them smiled at me as though they were tempting me. Water and I didn't mix well together, let alone swimming in it. There...there was no way!

But they were expecting me to join! If I said "yes", then I'd be able to get closer to them. We'd be able to go out to places together. And there may be more people who'd join!

While I was scared of the water, I wanted more than anything to beat my fear and make friends...

"Misuzu-san?"

"Uh..ummm.."

I couldn't say anything. I wanted to say "yes", I wanted to say "no". Yet nothing could come out of my mouth.

Mueller-san looked at me and told me, "Tell you what, how about you think on it and let us know later?'

"Yeah," Ella-chan added, "and don't feel obligated to say yes, okay? It's all up to ya'!"

I nodded, but on the inside I felt as though I let them down by not saying something...

For the next few days Ella-chan and Mueller-san were busy with the club. They were able to get both boys' and girls' team approved, but they had to clean up the pool to use it, as they told me one day where they had a free lunch. There was one day where a pretty first-year sat across from me on the roof, but the feeling of dead silence just made it awkward between us. She still sat with me up there after that one day, but I still felt left out when I ate lunch without the others for the next few days, and when I walked back home by the beach side. Without someone to talk to the week was just bland.

That was, until one afternoon the next week when the lunch bell rang. My friends had already left to get together at the pool, as usual, and I decided to wander around for a new place to eat outside. I took out my bento and quietly left the classroom as the rest inside were chatting away. There were only a few upperclassmen roaming the halls, and one or two 'kou-hai' 's exploring, the rest outside watching baseball practice and buying lunch. It was a nice day to sit in the grass, there being a great view under the shade of a sakura tree. I wondered where the closest one was. I only knew the one by the main gate and then some near the border of the property, but there had to be some close to the doors so I could get to class quickly.

As my thoughts trailed on, I stumbled across a familiar figure who stood by the club poster board. He heard me coming closer, and then suddenly he jumped right in front of me with a threatening expression etched on his face.

"Here," he said as he dangled a school mascot key chain in my face, "I'll give you this. Now join the swim team!"

"N-N-Na-ni?"

Without any explanation whatsoever Nanase-kun took me outside past the crowd of people and towards the empty lot and an old locker hall. Through those doors came the sunlight beaming off of the pavement and into my eyes, and a familiar set of voiced greeting Nanase-kun.

"Hey, Nanase-kun, did you actually find somebody alr-Misuzu-san?!"

"Mueller-san?"

"Aww, Nanase, what'd you do? She's not the type of fresh meat we were askin' fer'!"

"Oi, Nanase, you didn't scare my girl, did you?" said Ella-chan.

Everyone that I knew gathered around us at the locker room staircase leading into the gated pool area. Mueller-san took my hands and asked me if I were okay.

"Oh, don't worry about me. Nanase-kun came up to me and asked if I would join the swim club."

"Nanase! No fair! That was our job!" protested Ella-chan.

"I helped the club, didn't I?"

"Only if she were to join, and that doesn't seem-"

"Oh, please don't argue over me!

"Actually...I was going to ask if I could join..because I...I wanted to get to know you all better..oh! But not just that! I...I wanted to learn about swimming from you all."

"Just as sweet as ever, neh, Samantha-chan?"

"H-huh?"

"D'aw! How can we say no that sweet little face!"

Ella-chan and Mueller-san were about to hug me when Hazuki-kun came up to me, taking my hands and exclaiming, "You hear that guys? We got a new member!"

"Nani?" Kou-chan asked as she leaned over the railing on the second level.

"Gou-chan! Misuzu-chan wants to be a part of the swim team!"

"It's Ko-ugh, never mind, " she groaned as she bounded down the steps towards us.

The rest of the group was glad to see me a part of the club. I was surprised to find Amakata-sensei laying on a chair near the pool and being called the club advisor.

Their happiness seemed to brighten the mood, especially after Kou-chan agreed to join two days later. We were all excited to see that our group could accomplish so much by the end of the week. The new and improved pool was our first step to making our way as a team. My fear of swimming seemed to dull at that moment when I saw them smiling with me. It gave me confidence that I'd be able to follow along beside them, and to enjoy the things that they did.

When the pool was finally finished, Amakata-sensei handed out the chlorine tablets to throw in after a cup of juice to cheer to our success. All of us spread out to each different corner of the pool and threw the tablets in. I stood next to Mueller-san and clapped my hands.

"You excited or what?"

"I definitely am excited for this!"

"Wait, Haru!" Tachibana-kun shouted out, "You were wearing your swimsuit again?!"

Both of us turned to the front end of the pool. Nanase-kun stripped off his shirt and stood at the edge of the pool with only a swimsuit on. Mueller-san whistled and said, "Whoa, Nelly! Calm yourself down now, Nanase!"

"M-M-Mue-Mueller-!"

I stepped back. I couldn't handle looking at a sudden naked boy standing over..there...I felt my face heat up like I was a bomb waiting to explode.

"Misuzu-san, are you alright? There's nothing to get worked up about, " Mueller-san said to calm me as I backed up against the fence, "just take a breath an-hey, wait, who are you?!"

Mueller-san turned to a red-headed person ominously standing in a close-by bush with something in his hand. I squinted my eyes. A...camera?...

I looked down and saw that my skirt had flipped up with the wind. And then I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"PERVERT! THERE'S A PERVERT BY THE FENCE!"

My hands cupped my face, and I tried to run away. But then I felt myself falling over. I didn't have enough time to see where I was going when I met the water, side ways, with a gigantic splash.

No! Not again! The water-The water's closing in on me!

I wanted to move, I did, but my body locked in place. It was just like how I dreamt about it in my nightmares-I was sinking into a never ending body of water with my lungs closing up and my vision skewed by the dimness of the deep blue. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't swim, I knew I couldn't, and yet I desperately attempted to save myself. I couldn't breath-I was underwater for more than a minute without a breath of air in my system-the darkness was closing in..closing in..

Please, someone save me! I can't move! Please!

There came a hand from out of the darkness and grabbed my arm. My eyes were closed, but I could feel the warmth of their touch as they swam up to the surface.

At first I didn't know what to do when I was above the water. The air swarmed in through my lungs as I coughed up the water that was caught in my throat. Then there came many other hands that took me from my rescuer, but I didn't want them to let me go.

"Misuzu-san! Misuzu-san!"

Mueller-san called out to me as she pulled me out of the water. My head lolled to the side where I could see the person in the water. It was him. The mermaid boy...

"The...boy from the ocean...saved me..."

"Misuzu-san?"

"Thank you..."

With that, I felt myself slip out of my body and into the dark.


End file.
